Aloe vera

[Drsumitra]

Why Aloe May Work?

Carrington Laboratories, Inc., has been trying to gain FDA approval for the use of acemannan as a drug. Acemannan is the name given to the large molecular-weight sugars called mucopolysaccharides that are found in Aloe Vera. They assert that this is the “active” ingredient and have spent considerable time and money doing in-vitro and in-vivo research. Their work has shown that Aloe Vera interacts with the body’s immune system, enhancing rather than overriding this system. It stimulates the macrophages, one of the principal immune response steering mechanisms of the body. These studies have shown direct anti-viral activity. On November 4, 1991, Carrington announced that conditional approval was granted by the USDA for the use of Acemannan as an aid in the treatment of canine and feline fibrosarcoma. Although this is an isolate of the plant and may represent only a small fraction of its active ingredients, it is a large step forward and may open the door for Aloe to gain approval for other uses.

Trevor Lyons, B.D.S., L.D.S., R.M., a Canadian dentist, deserves recognition as a true pioneer in our quest for the solutions to periodontal disease, as well as the systemic manifestations resulting from this infection. His book, Introduction to Protozoa and Fungi in Periodontal Infections, is a masterpiece of literature review and original research.

There are many thought-provoking ideas presented that will provide answers to many puzzling questions. His basic premise is that one-celled animals, protozoa such as Entamoeba gingivalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Trichomonas tenax, are not opportunistic, but, in fact, precede the host’s oral and systemic declines (Lyons, p. 15). Equally important in oral and systemic pathology are the fungi most notably Candida albicans. Again, rather than being opportunistic, these fungi actually suppress the host’s immune system, are capable of causing death, and have been shown to be distributed throughout all of the host’s organs upon autopsy.

Yeasts and trophozoites, contrary to what was previously believed, do not appear to be normal inhabitants of the mouth. They are associated with oral and/or systemic disease, and if left untreated in an apparently symptomless host, will lead to the deterioration of the oral and general health of the patient (Lyons, p 73, p. 15).

Dr. Lyons, through meticulous and step-by-step development of his theory, proves that these heretofore accepted, “normal” inhabitants should be our target organisms in the treatment of many oral and systemic diseases. He has documented and published proof that the elimination of those parasites restores the host to a state of well being.

Another forward-thinking holistic dentist, Dr. Douglas Cook, from Surfing, WI, read between the lines of Dr. Lyons’ work and gleaned the idea of why the Aloe Vera is so effective on so many people. In an interview with Dr. Lyons, he confirmed this information. Aloe Vera is one of the most potent protozoaand yeast-killing solutions that he had ever worked with. However, Dr. Lyons did not have at his disposal, nor did he know about, these new, highly concentrated Whole Leaf Aloe Vera solutions.

Most of Dr. Lyons’ successes, which are monumental, were produced using traditional allopathic medicine. Many of these medicaments used are highly toxic to the host, as well as the target organisms. Possibly, nature has provided the perfect solution to this parasite problem: Aloe Vera.

In 1929, Kofoid reported finding Entamoeba in the bone marrow of some arthritic subjects. In 1981, Snyderman and McCarty reported similar pathology in rheumatoid arthritis and destructive periodontal disease. In 1982, Dr. Paul Keys, the former head of dental research at the United States National Institute of Health, reported the almost invariable relationship between oral protozoa and periodontal deterioration. E. gingivalis found at the base of periodontal pockets and E. histolytica found in ulcers of the colon (Lyons, p. 28) behave similarly, causing the lesion to spread laterally as the amoebae migrate parallel to the floor of the ulcer.

Could these one-celled animals really be that destructive? R. Mueller, in 1988, reported a new theory of enzyme destruction. Polymorphs produce a proteolytic (protein-digesting) enzyme, “elastase” which is normally bound to a circulating liver enzyme, “proteinase inhibitor” forming “elastase proteinase inhibitor complex” (EPIC). The leukocytes are disrupted by the contact with amoebae leaving the leukocytes in an uncontrolled state of maximum production and release of elastase. The EPIC balance becomes overpowered, leading to rapid, uncontrolled, lytic activity. This concept fits well with the understanding that destructive periodontal disease may be considered an autoimmune disease (Genco and Mergenhagen, 1982) and shows that “the supreme irony of this state of parasitism is that the very cells which should protect the host in fact destroy the host and are then, in turn, consumed by this predator parasite, Entamoeba gingivalis.” (Lyons, p. 34)

These parasites also are capable of being infected with a virus. From within this safe harbor protected from the patient’s immune response, a continuous stream of pathogenic particles could eventually destroy the host. Could this be the reason why Epstein-Barr and HIV patients are helped with Aloe Vera? Does the Aloe Vera destroy the virus’ hideout? Whatever research eventually shows, the destruction of these one-celled invaders will leave the host with a stronger immune system.

Many dentists have been dismayed over the rampant decay in the cervical areas of some of their patients’ teeth. These lesions tend to rapidly spread along and below the gingival margin. Within just a few months this mostly painless destruction may render the tooth unsalvageable. Dr. Lyons has shown that this rapid decay is caused by Candida, which is capable of both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism.

Antibiotics and antifungals have proven effective if the right ones at the right times are used. Reports from the literature show that neither E. gingivalis nor E. histolytica is capable of initiating infection without the concomitant presence of bacteria (Levine, 1973, p. 147; Grollman & Grollman, 1970, p. 649). And, while antibiotic therapy may be cidal to trophozoites, it may be working due to the change in the bacterial environment.

Aloe Vera, on the other hand, non-toxic to the host, has been reported (in anecdotal stories) effective in the treatment of most digestive and gastrointestinal problems, arthritis, skin lesions, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and periodontal disease, etc.! Could it be that Dr. Lyons, who first recorded the destruction of the protozoa with Aloe Vera, may have found the reason why Aloe Vera appears to be so effective with so many different problems?